On self, integrity, and acharya

Visualise a wooden stick (self) that is used to stir up the fire and eventually is consumed entirely and disappears in the Great Fire (Self)...

To study Buddhism is to study the self 
to study the self is to forget the self
to forget the self is to become enlightened by all things
to be enlightened by all things is to destroy the barrier between one's self and others.

-- Dogen Zenji

*From the comment on Peony's article 'under a flame tree (with you & confucius)' - thank you!


It is wonderfully attractive (and admirable) to be a fully-enlightened being, one who has "realised" and unafraid of leaving this world of sam sara behind. But what I find truly precious and rare, is to have realised and transcended, whilst still be able to surrender to this world and play whatever role on earth that you are ordained to play -- one's responsibility, in the truest form of "trust."

And to be an acharya: one who practises what one preaches -- there is truth in life, and it is the light and clarity of life, it is integrity, which cannot be further away from an intoxicated, pompous view of one's self. To have enough courage -- a Bodhisattva, effectively. One who has already been lifted but chooses to remain, with compassion, wisdom, and kindness (this reminds me of Su Dongpo in a way). But then, with no struggling, no striving, no conflicts, like all that melts and disappears in the fire. In the end even the fire itself will remain no longer. With full knowledge of this, and still walk the path. With full knowledge that you will be betrayed, and still love (thinking of Jesus, and Odette from Swan Lake).

There is, in the end, nothing to fill the empty cup with anymore, for the cup has already been smashed.


To look at the world with a smile.